Oswego County Announces New Accelerant Detection K-9

by Contributor | May 22, 2026 10:22 am

OSWEGO COUNTY – The Oswego County Fire Coordinator’s Office welcomes Cedar, its new accelerant detection K-9, to its team. Cedar is a three-year-old English yellow lab who started helping with fire investigations earlier this month.

“K-9 fire investigation teams are a critical public safety asset,” said Oswego County Legislator Paul Connolly, District 20, chairman of the Legislature’s Public Safety Committee. “They play a vital role by helping investigators determine the cause of fires, identifying potential arson, and preventing further harm by ensuring those responsible are held accountable.”

Oswego County Fire Coordinator Shane Laws added, “We’re proud to welcome Cedar to our team. K-9s are a valuable tool, as their training and instincts help us uncover important evidence that may be hidden in the aftermath of a fire. After undergoing a rigorous training program, Cedar is now certified in ignitable liquid detection and has already helped us at multiple fire scenes.”

On May 1, Cedar graduated from the New York State Academy of Fire Science Accelerant Detection K-9 Course in Montour Falls, N.Y. Training focused on odor detection of petroleum-based ignitable liquid residue, such as gasoline and kerosene. Cedar also completed agility training and experienced environmental exposures to ensure he can work well in situations with large crowds, areas with limited access and other challenging factors.

Oswego County Fire Investigator Shawn Simoneau is Cedar’s handler and completed the 10-week intensive training alongside him. Simoneau is also a fire captain for the City of Fulton Fire Department.

“Behind every courageous K-9 is a committed handler whose patience, trust and partnership turn loyalty into service,” said Laws. “We appreciate Shawn for his dedication to the K-9 program, and we’re grateful to the City of Fulton Fire Department for giving him the time off needed to complete this important course.”

The Oswego County Fire Coordinator’s Office has had a K-9 on its team since the mid-1990s, and Cedar is the fifth to join the department. It is currently the only fire investigation team in Central New York that has a certified K-9.

Cedar was deployed for the first time just three hours after his graduation and has assisted in three other fire investigations since. In addition to being brought in at fire scenes in Oswego County, he will also support surrounding counties when needed.

For more information about the Oswego County Fire Coordinator’s Office, call 315-349-8800 or visit https://www.oswegocountyny.gov/departments/public_safety/fire_coordinator[1].

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/news/oswego-county-announces-new-accelerant-detection-k-9/

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